Paul McCartney valued as billionaire by Forbes, third richest musician

Forbes has put Paul McCartney's net worth at $1.4 billion (€1.2 billion), placing the former Beatle among the world's billionaires. That makes him the third richest musician, behind Jay-Z at $2.8 billion and Taylor Swift at $2 billion.

According to the magazine, his wealth comes from his musical catalogue, legal manoeuvres, tours and art collection. Most of it is said to come from MPL Communications, the publishing company the 84-year-old founded in 1969, which manages his own catalogue and those of other artists. Its copyrights include works by Buddy Holly, Broadway musical scores and Christmas standards, and Forbes says these account for nearly a quarter of a billion dollars.

Forbes also says McCartney receives 25 per cent of earnings from the Beatles' Apple Corps holding company, which generates about $50 million a year from streaming, vinyl and merchandise. He earns about $10 million a year from the band's songwriting copyrights, which he pursued in US and UK courts over the past two decades. The publication estimates their worth at $200 million.

The estimate also counts touring income, including 79 shows on his Got Back tour between 2022 and 2025, as well as real estate around the world and paintings by artists such as Magritte and Picasso.

McCartney remains active. His latest album, The Boys of Dungeon Lane, came out in May, and he was the musical guest on that month's Saturday Night Live finale. The report was originally published by the Guardian.